Rising – 1917

A cable from New York, dated Sunday last, states that the Secret Service has frustrated a second Sinn Fein rebellion which was planned to occur next Easter, on the anniversary of last year’s bloody Dublin riots. German gold was scheduled to play a part. The preliminaries were mapped out, and ready to be put in operation, when the Secret Service men stepped in and arrested “General” Liam Merlewes (sic.) one of the leaders of the 1916 outbreak. Baron von Reculinghausen (sic.) was apparently Count von Bernstorff’s designee to watch Germany’s interests in Ireland after Bernstorff was ousted from the United States.

The Canadian authorities, acting upon the information received from the Secret Service, arrested Dr. Patrick McCarton, upon his arrival at Halifax. He was travelling on a fraudulent seaman’s passport. McCarton enjoyed the title “Ambassador of the Irish Republic to the United States.” It is commonly reported that German agents are busy in Ireland, attempting to stir up a second outbreak. A German cargo, which submarines carried, comprising machine guns and ammunition, was landed in lonely inlets in the Irish Sea.

It is understood that the United States possesses the official Sinn Fein report of the 1916 riots and other valuable data in connection therewith. Merlewes (Mellows), prior to the Easter Monday rebellion, spent three months in an English prison. Later he proceeded to Galway, and organised 700 volunteers for the United States, following the failure of the revolt.

McCarton arrived in the United States early in 1917, a fugitive from justice. Both decided to return to Ireland. McCarton sailed on October 17.